THE SOURCE OF MAGIC (THE MAGICIANS SEASON 1, EPISODE #02): RECAP & REVIEW

The episode starts after the attack of the Beast in the classroom, teachers and other school workers are tending the wounded and questioning the students. While Quentin is being questioned, a series of flashbacks shows how the Beast was sent away. Before the Beast attacking Quentin, Dean Fogg told Quentin to take his pocket watch and he materializes it in his hand. When pushing the crown, time restarted and the Beast lost his composure, the students ran out the classroom leaving Quentin and Alice behind. Before going out, Kady attacks the Beast with a battle spell causing him to tumble, before attacking him again the Beast knock her unconscious. The Beast is attacked by Alice and it retreats back into the mirror long enough for Penny to break it with a chair.

Professor Pearl Sunderland takes the lead investigating the incident, she tells the student that the school is protected and kept hidden by powerful spells and that they are resetting them for their safety. She mentions that there are more worlds beyond what they know and that the Beast came from one of them, but was let in or summon by somebody and that the school will find the responsible ones and take action.

At the same time, Julia and Marina, also a newbie of the Hedge Witch, are locked inside a meat cooler. The cooler has ingredients and a dead body, making them come to the conclusion that there must be a way to get out with their own magic. They search everywhere, but don’t find anything. Trying to encourage them Pete, who brought Julia to the Hedge Witch, takes control of the body and starts to chase them, only to have the body impaled by the girls. He tells them that they didn’t search everywhere and there is still one place to look. With the new information Julia finds a spell inside the body bag that gives the girls hope of surviving.

Eliot and Margo tried to cheer up Quentin and Alice with alcohol back in the Psychical cabin. Eliot tells Quentin that he also killed a bully when he was fourteen by accident, and knew he had magic. Margo tries to befriend Alice, but Alice doesn’t think that that is what Margo is really after. Margo asks how Alice came to Brakebills, as rumor has it that Alice wasn’t first invited to the exam. Alice replies that she stole an alumni key from her parents because she really wanted to go to school.

Penny tries to leave the school, but Kady tells him that Brakebills is the only place where they belong and can be who they are, and implies that he should stay for her. She proposes to break into the Psychical kids cabin to steal some alcohol and magical objects. She takes a spellbook and a crystal called Emerson aloide repellent. Quentin tries to tell Alice about his dream about Fillory and that it might be true, but she tells him that she doesn’t what to get expelled and they should hide the book they use to summon her brother. After burying the book, they come across Penny and Kady, but the four of them are overheard by professor Pearl and are questioned again. In the end, Penny is the only one that place the blame on somebody and that person is Quentin. He is told that he will be expelled and next morning a specialist will come wipe his memory.

Quentin is mad and comforts Penny, who punches him instead. As Penny walks away, Quentin remembers the spell that Kady used to attack the Beast and recreates it against Penny. The spell is reflected instead back to Quentin. They are both taken to the infirmary, and Quentin learns that Penny stole the crystal from Kady and was what protect him.

Needing animal fat for the spell, Julia uses a scissors to take some form the dead body. The spell works and they are able to open the door with the scissors. She learns that the test was only for her and to prove to herself in front of Marina who is really the head person of the Hedge Witches. Marina tells her that she is in. Later in the night, Kady is seen talking with Marina and Pete, and gives them the spell book she stole. Marina asks for the crystal and gives her a list of things that she needs and wants for their next meeting.

The next morning, Quentin goes to see the specialist and learns that is the paramedic that gave him the manuscript of the sixth book of Fillory on the day of his exam. She gives him another opportunity after taking the crystal that he stole from Penny, and tells him that Fillory is real, but he should concentrate on his studies.

At the end of the episode, Eliza, the paramedic, goes to see Dean Fogg who survived, but lost his eyes and had his hands broken. She tells him that she will find a way to heal him, he tells her that they need more time to prepare “them” and that Quentin and Penny are not ready for what is to come. Quentin takes his things and moves into the Psychical cabin with Eliot and Margo, who are happy to see him and are quite drunk.

“Just another inadequate magician, how lost people. So will you, if you don’t get stronger, learn fast any means necessary. “ – Eliza

I liked the second episode of the Magicians, we saw more magic being practice and also at least the battle with the Beast. In this episode we are still learning about the main characters and other ones. We see the Hedge Witch where Julia has her version of the test and passes it this time and the physical kids cabin where Eliot and Margo live and have parties. Also, we see other teachers even the wants that don’t have any lines, but might have an importance in the future of the series. I liked the battle magic that Kady and Quentin did, and also how hand movements have a huge impact in the spell-casting. I’m curious about what does Kady have to do with the Hedge Witch, and why is she really doing in Brakebills? I have researched the book series, but looking how it all in live action looks great and give a different insight. I really liked that the author Lev Grossman made a cameo in this episode, it was quiet sarcastic, as he was talking about the author of Fillory and Further. So far I like how the show is going and I can’t wait to see what more is to come in the next episodes, the show is said to have ten episodes this season and I hope it’s given a second one.

Did you like the second episode of the Magicians? What do you think about Kady and the Hedge Witch?